Posts Tagged ‘Visit California’

Global Tourism Marketing Organization Established to Increase International Visitation to the United States

SACRAMENTO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Visit California President and CEO Caroline Beteta has been named, by vote of the Brand USA board of directors, Chair-Elect of the Brand USA Board. The election designates her as the next board Chair for fiscal year 2013, which begins on October 1, 2012. In addition, she has been named interim CEO of the organization following the departure of Jim Evans, who stepped down from his position as CEO of Brand USA effective June 22, 2012. Beteta will continue in her role as President and CEO of Visit California.

“I am honored to take the reins of Brand USA as Chair-Elect and Interim CEO,” Beteta said. “Brand USA began as just an idea a little more than a year ago, and I have been fully committed to its long-term viability and success, and remain committed to those goals today.”

As President and CEO of Visit California, Beteta oversees a $50 million marketing plan that includes integrated global brand campaigns, extensive travel trade and media programs in 12 international markets and localized digital resources for consumers and trade. The highly experienced executive team at Visit California will allow Beteta to assume these new national roles while ensuring the success of California’s important program.READ MORE

PCG earns five CRYSTAL Awards for accomplishments throughout 2011

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (May 18, 2012)– Perry Communications Group (PCG) dominated the awards field again this year garnering five CRYSTAL Awards in a variety of categories and taking top honors in the Public Relations Campaign category. The annual CRYSTAL Awards ceremony, hosted by International Association of Business Communications, Sacramento Chapter (IABC Sacramento), honors the best public relations work from the previous year. The awards ceremony was celebrated May 17, 2012 at The Park in California’s capital city.

“I am so proud of the work the PCG team has done this year,” said Kassy Perry, President and CEO. “The icing on the cake is our work being recognized by our distinguished peers.”

Perry Communications Group received one CRYSTAL and four MERIT CRYSTAL awards for:

ABOUT PERRY COMMUNICATIONS GROUP:

Perry Communications Group is an independent, full-service strategic communications firm specializing in public relations and public affairs. We work at the center of issues that matter and give new perspective to the issues and events making headlines today. As well as those that will in the future. We shape ideas, opinions, decisions and social change. The bottom line for us is always the same – we’re invested in the cause and our clients’ work. For more information, visit PCG at www.perrycom.com or call (916) 658-0144.

$800 million in new visitation expenditures expected through 2016 in the Golden State

International Pow Wow 2012

SACRAMENTO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–As part of Visit California’s long-term strategy to boost the state’s economy by attracting more high-spending international visitors, Visit California joins the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board in hosting North America’s premier travel trade show – International Pow Wow (IPW) – April 21-25. Pow Wow 2012 marks the second consecutive year of U.S. Travel Association’s biggest event being staged in the Golden State, following Pow Wow 2011 in San Francisco. Visit California will lead a delegation of more than 225 California travel industry businesses and destinations to aggressively promote the Golden State to the thousands of international tour operators and media attending.

“In terms of economic impact and global exposure, International Pow Wow is the Olympic Games of the U.S. travel industry,” said Caroline Beteta, Visit California president and CEO. “Hosting IPW in Los Angeles this year and San Francisco last year gave Visit California an incredible opportunity to show off our diverse tourism product to the world’s most influential and top-producing buyers of U.S. travel products.”

U.S. Travel Association estimates that the IPW host city and surrounding areas can expect to generate an extra $400 million in incremental expenditures over the following three years. That means that the Los Angeles and San Francisco regions alone can expect to see up to $800 million in additional international traveler revenues through 2016. This opportunity, combined with Visit California’s significant global marketing investments in recent years, will result in more tourism business for California, which means more state and local tax revenues and more jobs.

In 2011, spending by 220 million visitors to California led to a record $102.3 billion in expenditures, supporting 893,000 jobs and generating $2.3 billion in local tax dollars. International tourism is the fastest growing segment and represents 20 percent of total visitor spending – adding up to $19.1 billion in 2011.

“While our long-term strategy of increasing investment in international markets is paying off – recent figures project a 21 percent increase in international visitation between 2011 and 2015 – we know we can’t take this growth for granted,” Beteta said. “California competes globally for these lucrative visitors, who stay longer and spend more than domestic travelers, and as the global economy continues to improve the competition will get even fiercer. Visit California will continue to look for high-impact opportunities like IPW to attract these high-value customers.”

Visit California commits more than $20 million to international marketing with in-market representation around the globe, from Europe and Australia to Asia and South America. This investment – about 50% of the overall destination marketing budget – funds an ever-growing global online presence, direct to consumer advertising in select markets and year-round travel trade and public relations activities. Visit California spent $23.68 million on global advertising in 2011 to reach 68.9 million consumers, generating $5.5 billion in incremental visitor spending – a remarkable return on investment of $231 to $1. (Tax ROI: $15 to $1).

Due in part to Visit California’s international investment, total visits to California grew by an estimated 3.3 percent in 2011, fueled by overseas travel (up 10.5 percent, versus domestic visits, up 2.8 percent). Growth in international visitor spending (up 12.6 percent) outpaced domestic spending gains (up 6.9 percent) in 2011, with total expenditures up a robust 7.6 percent.

The forecast for 2012 is also bright, with overseas visits expected to increase 5.7 percent, Mexican visits up 3.9 percent and Canadian visits up 3.6 percent. Total international spending, boosted by Visit California’s marketing investment, is anticipated to rise a healthy 6.8 percent, outperforming forecasted domestic growth (up 4.4 percent).

“We’re really pleased that we’ve been able to maintain and expand our robust marketing program targeting the international market, which we see as a long-term investment for California’s growth,” said Beteta, who also serves as Vice Chair of Brand USA, the country’s first-ever national marketing program to promote the United States travel brand to international consumers. “Aligning efforts with Brand USA to boost international tourism into our country is a natural extension of our global marketing program and key to our state’s future economic health.”

ABOUT VISIT CALIFORNIA

Visit California is a non-profit organization with a mission to develop and maintain marketing programs – in partnership with the state’s travel industry – that keep California top-of-mind as a premier travel destination. According to Visit California, travel and tourism expenditures total over $102 billion annually in California (20 percent of which is international), support jobs for 893,000 Californians and generate $6.3 billion in state and local tax revenues. For more information about Visit California and for a free California Visitor’s Guide, go to www.VisitCalifornia.com.

PCG earns five CAPPIE Awards for accomplishments throughout 2011

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (March 26, 2012)– Perry Communications Group (PCG) dominated the awards field again this year garnering five CAPPIE Awards in a variety of categories. The annual CAPPIE Awards ceremony, hosted by the Sacramento Public Relations Association, honors the best public relations efforts from the previous year. The awards ceremony was celebrated March 22, 2012 at The Citizen Hotel in California’s capital city, including recognition of SPRA’s 25th anniversary.READ MORE

Big winners at this year’s CAPPIE Awards Gala included Perry Communications Group and 3fold Communications, each of which took home five awards, including a gold award, three silver awards and a bronze.

The 25th anniversary awards ceremony, held Thursday at the Citizen Hotel, recognized excellence in the field of public relations.

Perry Communications won a gold medal for a self-promotion campaign dubbed, “Eat. Drink. Be Perry.” Perry also won silver for a special or media event for Innovate California, a symposium on medical innovation, and a silver in the press release category for its work with Visit California, formerly known as the California Travel and Tourism Commission.

International Travel is Major Boost to State’s Economy

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (January 19, 2012) – Visit California applauds President Obama’s efforts to boost international visitation to the United States. In an address today, the President praised the value of travel and announced a federal plan to ease entry requirements for international visitors in an effort to spur the nation’s economy.

Millions of visitors come to California each year from all over the globe, generating more than $17 billion in spending to the state’s economy and helping to support nearly 900,000 jobs.READ MORE

More than 1,500 jobs added in August

SACRAMENTO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Despite reports that the California job market has screeched to a halt, jobs in travel and tourism continue to grow – providing billions of dollars and a million jobs to the state. During August, the leisure and hospitality industry gained 1,500 jobs while the state’s unemployment rate increased to 12.1 percent.

“California’s economy is ever changing and businesses across all sectors have been experiencing challenges,” said Caroline Beteta, President and CEO of Visit California. “The fact that the travel and tourism industry is holding strong despite a general economic downturn demonstrates that the state is a premier domestic and international destination. People come here seeking the California experience.”READ MORE